Little Giant Hatch Along

[bburn]

Gosh, I thought I was the only one up! Just had the first one hatch. Took forever and I was worried of course. Now she is out and crawling all over the pipped eggs. Now the pipped eggs are looking a little more busy. There are at least 14 pips in there with this first chick. Am thinking it will be a long night!

My DGD is up and her blue eggs are pipping. She is thrilled. Last hatch her one blue egg never pipped!

When I candled at lockdown I could see movement in all 40 eggs! So, this could get pretty exciting!

Much luck to all and good thoughts for a good hatch!

 

[starchick2]

Quote:
I don’t worry to much about water overflowing, I just watch the hygrometer. You can put food grade food coloring in it if you want so that you can see the level. I just put a flash light on the window shining down and watch it carefully. If it over flows a little that is ok, the holes in the bottom will drain the excess out. I just like opening up the bator or moving eggs as little as possible during incubation, accidents happen. You read all the time about someone dropping an egg on another one or on the floor/table and cracking it. It also keeps the temperature more stable in the LG, they are notoriously difficult to keep stable. I would also worry about the turner flexing to much and eggs falling out as you move a turner with eggs in it.

When it comes to lockdown I transfer my eggs directly from the turner into an egg carton I have prepared for hatching. In order to increase the humidity during lockdown, I add sponges to the wire bottom so that I can moisten them as needed. I live in a dry area so I have to work a little harder on the humidity!

My hubby said to use food coloring, but I told him no, guess I will now. Your way seems to be fairly easy compared to what I have been doing. I hate moving that turner, scares the crap out of me everytime I move it.

I use a turkey baster and it works well.

 

[OHhappychicks]

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Goodness bburn!!! You are going tohave a good mothers day!! It might be a long nite! I had one that hatched about 3-3:30am the other nite. I checked on it at about 2:45am and it was pretty well zipped, I just went back to bed and when we checked at 7am it was out and about half dried!! and just as we checked another popped out!! On thurs for a while it was like watching popcorn pop, they were coming out so fast!! Fun, fun, fun!!!!

 

[bburn]

Quote:
Goodness bburn!!! You are going tohave a good mothers day!! It might be a long nite! I had one that hatched about 3-3:30am the other nite. I checked on it at about 2:45am and it was pretty well zipped, I just went back to bed and when we checked at 7am it was out and about half dried!! and just as we checked another popped out!! On thurs for a while it was like watching popcorn pop, they were coming out so fast!! Fun, fun, fun!!!!

DH just called to check on the new chicks and see what the head count was. Only had pips when he called on his way to work last night. Told him there were three the last time I checked. I had moved them to the brooder already. Looked and could see three more and the glass was really fogged up. After talking to him I went back and looked and thought they needed to be moved and the humidity was so high it would not hurt to get them out.....there were SIX more. Moved them.

There are only very few eggs that I can see are not pipped! There is enough room in there that I am going to try to leave them unless the humidity gets really high. Then just pop and window and snatch them out. What a Mother's Day! My 26 yo special needs daughter is coming up today so I have to start cooking and chopping. She called and asked to 'take me out to eat for Mother's Day'....it was sweet. Told her I had babies hatching did she want to come up here.....she squealled! She will be excited!

 

[StormyMoon]

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Aww I am sorry for your loss , ((( Happy Belated Mothers day to you and everyone on BYC )))

We will be setting our next batch on the 14th we are going to do another round of Barred Rock chicks.
I was very pleased with our last hatched 2 didn't develop fully but all in all it was a great hatch.


I moved my broodys here all the time I let them get started where they feel comfortable and then I moved them to a wire cage and put them in lock up, they have food and water and are let out 1 time a day for potty. They do really great that way. When I move them I make sure 1 person holds the hen the entire time till I have all the eggs situated we don't let her feet touch the ground and she sort of stays in her daze kind of zoned out this way as long as you dont fiddle to much with her she will stay calm.

Make sure there is space for her to walk from just in front of the eggs to on top I don't like standing her on the eggs cause she gets upset right away and starts stomping.
So I release her just in front of the nest and shut the door then she softly makes her way to the nest and wiggles into her spot.

 

[StormyMoon]

What is everyone doing? I haven't heard from anyone in a while, just curious how the hatching is going?

 

[pistol123]

I just had a 100% hatch rate of 25!!! Happy....Silkies and Australopes....

 

[meepitqueenie]

i got 8 jap bantams out of 14 that went to lock down... not great... but my next hatch will be in a brinsea and see if i can get better results

 

[bburn]

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Congrats!!! That is what I was aiming for. Threw out my last two eggs this morning....quitters. Two blue eggs and all the blue ones hatched early so I was not surprised. My cochins were last to hatch once again....worry, worry, worry.....

I did end up with 38 our of 40 and the hatch before was 31 out of 40. So I am really pleased with both hatches. DH is out of town and he asked me last night was I going to set another batch!!! Well.....maybe, maybe not. The first ones are 3 1/2 weeks old. Then the babies. What the heck am I supposed to do with them. The older ones are going in the tractor to grow out and get some size.

I really think I need to stop for now and I cannot believe I just said that!!!

Good luck to those still hatching!

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
Congrats!!! That is what I was aiming for. Threw out my last two eggs this morning....quitters. Two blue eggs and all the blue ones hatched early so I was not surprised. My cochins were last to hatch once again....worry, worry, worry.....

I did end up with 38 our of 40 and the hatch before was 31 out of 40. So I am really pleased with both hatches. DH is out of town and he asked me last night was I going to set another batch!!! Well.....maybe, maybe not. The first ones are 3 1/2 weeks old. Then the babies. What the heck am I supposed to do with them. The older ones are going in the tractor to grow out and get some size.

I really think I need to stop for now and I cannot believe I just said that!!!

Good luck to those still hatching!

Thats wonderful Pistol123 it feels good to get a great hatch dont it?

I do plan to keep hatching until I have built up a really nice flock of girls.......the rest I sell or give away to people who need them.

This week I have a batch of 20 or so eggs that will go into lock down..

This coming Saturday I am setting another 42 there area Usually 3 - 4 that are not viable eggs and a few quitters maybe they die for a reason I think I would rather them pass on in the egg than have to cull a sick chick.

Any ways all of you on here on the LG Thread need to keep us posted

I love hatching.